Day in the Life at a Theme Park Design Company: Project Planning

Day in the Life at a Theme Park Design Company: Project Planning with Emily Sodnicar

When it comes to creating immersive experiences, it’s well-known that it takes a village. A very creative and technical village. From pre-concept design all the way to installation supervision, every team plays a critical role in opening experiences that guests will treasure. As Project Planning Manager II, Emily Sodnicar is one of the brilliant minds on our team, keeping projects on track through data-driven analysis and imaginative problem-solving. Keep reading to get a glimpse of her day-to-day, and the experiences that led her to project management.

A Road to Themed Entertainment

Emily’s journey all started with engineering. “Engineering runs in my family,” she shared. “My dad, grandfather, and uncles are all engineers, so it felt like a natural path for me.” She earned her degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado, and her master’s degree in Architectural Studies with a concentration in Themed Environments Integration at the University of Florida CityLab.

While pursuing her master’s degree, Emily worked as a ride operator at Universal Orlando Resort. “I was a Hogwarts student on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey,” she said. “That role, although not traditionally considered an industry position, taught me so much. I was in the parks every day, interacting with guests and learning how a theme park actually functions from the ground up.”

From Fabrication to Falcon’s

Emily’s first professional experience in the industry came through an internship at a scenic fabrication shop, where she supported project management on a new international theme park attraction. She later became the company’s scheduler, managing timelines for design development, fabrication supervision, and in-field installation.

“That job gave me a critical understanding of how these projects actually get built,” she said. “Now that I’m at Falcon’s, I use that knowledge at the start of the process to help ensure the creative concepts we develop are practical and achievable.”
Her ability to bridge early design with execution made her a strong fit for Falcon’s Creative Group, where master planning, pre-concept design, and schematic design are foundational to every project.

What Does a Project Planning Manager Do?

At Falcon’s, Emily plays a unique and essential role in early creative development, guiding projects through multiple phases including concept design, design development, and technical planning. “My role sits at the crossroads of creative, architecture, and operations,” she explained. “I focus on the real-world metrics that support design decisions. That includes projected attendance, attraction capacity, queue lengths, food and beverage planning, and more.”

She works closely with Falcon’s teams across disciplines like experiential design, hospitality design, museum design, and zoo and aquarium design, applying analytics to support efficient guest flow, capacity planning, and space utilization.

She also assists with interior design planning, helping define program requirements for themed restaurant design and themed retail design. “We work to ensure that restaurants, for example, can serve the right number of meals and have enough seating to match guest demand,” she explained.

Emily’s toolkit includes Microsoft Excel, Power BI, and Bluebeam. She collaborates closely with Falcon’s architectural visualization and 3D renderings & flythroughs teams to ensure spatial planning aligns with guest expectations and throughput needs.

Carrying Lessons from Operations

Her early operations role still influences her approach today. “That experience taught me how even small design choices can impact operators and guests,” she said. “Knowing what happens when there’s a misplaced door or a poorly laid-out queue line gives me a unique perspective.”

This insight is especially valuable during Falcon’s virtual mock-ups, digital twins, and on-site 3D scanning efforts, where small adjustments to flow and functionality can impact the long-term success of a venue.

Turning Numbers into Narratives

Emily is more than a numbers person. She is a storyteller who translates data into strategy. “Numbers can be intimidating,” she said. “I take a lot of pride in not only making sure my data is accurate, but also presenting it in a way that anyone can understand.”
Whether she is supporting story development during the early pitch phase or collaborating on signage & wayfinding, her role ensures guest experience is considered from both creative and operational perspectives. “If you stop by my desk, you’ll see that I have the prettiest spreadsheets in the office. It’s my creative outlet.”

Global Collaboration and Creative Problem Solving

Emily’s work is also deeply collaborative. She contributes to strategic advisory, participates in executive production workshops, and interfaces with client teams globally. “I’ve had the opportunity to travel and build strong relationships with our partners in places like Singapore and the Philippines,” she said. “It’s been incredible to think globally and collaborate across cultures.”

She also supports teams during interactive production planning for interactive attractions, XR experiences, and software development touchpoints. The insights she brings to the table help shape not only spaces but also timelines, workflows, and guest engagement strategies.

The Power of the Right Data

From the early stages of IP development and brand development through detailed ride & show choreography and installation supervision, Emily’s data-driven thinking ensures every part of the process is grounded in real-world feasibility.
“Everything in theme park design is rooted in numbers,” she said. “Ride capacity, throughput, guest circulation. There is always a metric behind the design. I love that I get to help connect the creative vision with the technical reality to make sure everything works the way it’s supposed to.”

Emily is proof that creativity isn’t limited to sketches and storyboards. It also lives in the spreadsheets, the timelines, the throughput models, and the master plans. Her technical expertise, passion for the industry, and collaborative spirit make her an essential part of Falcon’s project planning process.

“I love being part of the early conversations that shape a destination,” she said. “Because when it all comes together and the ideas work, the numbers work, and the experience works, it’s magic.”

Falcon’s Beyond
Media Relations:
Toni Caracciolo, Falcon’s Beyond
[email protected]